GODS AND MONSTERS Color, 1998, 100 mins. Written & Directed by Bill Condon Starring Ian McKellan, Brendan Fraser, Lynn Redgrave, Lolita Davidovich, David Dukes, Kevin J. O'Connor / Produced by Paul Colichman, Gregg Fienberg & Mark R. Harris / Music by Carter Burwell / Cinematography by Stephen M. Katz Format: DVD - Universal (MSRP $34.98) Letterboxed (2.35:1) (16x9 enhanced) / Dolby Digital 5.1 As far as early Hollywood directors go, James Whale fared better than most: he produced a number of horror classics (Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, The Old Dark House, Bride of Frankenstein) and directed the definitive version of Showboat as well as a number of skillful intimate dramas. Amazingly, his openly gay status didn't sabotage his career; instead, he chose to gradually step out of the business and retire into Hollywood seclusion.

Gods and Monsters, adapted by Bill Condon from the magnificent Christopher Bram biographical novel, Father of Frankenstein, eloquently paints a portrait of Whale as a man coming to terms with his own inner struggles near the end of his life as a neurological disorder causes memories of the past to "wash over" him, as he puts it. This chamber drama is brought to perfection by three wonderful performances by McKellan as Whale, Fraser as his yardman, Boone (a performance for which Fraser hasn't received nearly enough credit), and Redgrave as his doting housekeeper, Hanna. The loose, semi-linear narrative follows Whale in his twilight days as he finds himself out of the hospital and longing to take up painting. He sees inspritation in the form of Boone, a rugged and somewhat simple man hired to tend the lawn. The two strike up a friendship, and the director regales his friend with tales of his World War I antics and the filming of his classic horror films. In Boone, Whale sees traces of the sympathetic monster which appeared in all of his films, and the two even attend a Hollywood garden party together. However, the psychological tensions seething between the two men threaten to prevent any kind of ultimate understanding between them... or do they?

Filmed in Super 35, Gods and Monsters is presented on DVD in its preferred framing of 2.35:1. The film actually looks much better than the theatrical prints distributed by Lions Gate, allowing this low budget effort to now look like a million bucks. Carter Burwell's restrained, melancholy score benefits greatly from the subtle 5.1 mix, which comes to life mostly during the stylized flashbacks and fantasy sequences (Condon cleverly plays with imagery from Bride of Frankenstein throughout the film). The DVD also includes an excellent "Making of" documentary in which all of the principals discuss their involvement with the film and their various philosophies about its ultimate message(s). No simple studio puff piece, this is an enlightening supplement, though whether it justifies the steep price tag is another story. The film itself, though, is an excellent addition to any movie library; less a horror film than a meditation on the impulses and subliminal images which haunt us throughout our lives and make us feel "different," Gods and Monsters bears repeat visits and attention far beyond the restraints of art house audiences.

Gods and Monsters [VHS] [1999]: Ian McKellen, Brendan Fraser, Lynn Redgrave, Lolita Davidovich, David Dukes, Kevin J. O'Connor, Mark Kiely, Jack Plotnick, Rosalind Ayres, Jack Betts, Matt McKenzie, Todd Babcock, Bill Condon, Beau Rogers, Clive Barker, David Forrest, Gregg Fienberg, John Schouweiler, Christopher Bram: Amazon.co.uk: Video Gods and Monsters [VHS] [1999] Only 1 left in stock. This seller does not deliver to the United States. Learn more Dispatched from and sold by auczobe . 8 new from Â£3.93 7 used from Â£3.74 3 collectible from Â£4.95 See all buying options Â£5.00 Only 1 left in stock. Dispatched from and sold by auczobe . Product details VHS Release Date: 1 April 2000 Run Time: 99 minutes Product Description Product Description This Oscar-winning film stars Sir Ian McKellen as James Whale, the director of the classic 1931 film 'Frankenstein'.

Whale has slipped into a comfortable but monotonous retirement, living with his housekeeper Hanna (Lynn Redgrave) and lounging in the Los Angeles sun. His solitary existence is disrupted by two events: a visit from a curious film student who wants to find out more about the golden age of Hollywood; and the arrival of Clayton Boone (Brendan Fraser), the new gardener. Whale finds himself attracted to Boone and asks him to pose for a portrait, but the gardener is disturbed by his employer's homosexuality and is initially reluctant to befriend the elderly man. From Amazon.co.uk One of the most critically acclaimed films of 1998 and winner of several awards including the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, Gods and Monsters is a compassionate speculation about the final days of James Whale (1889-1957), the director of Frankenstein and 20 other films of the 1930s and 40s, who was openly gay at a time when homosexuality in Hollywood was discreetly concealed.

Adapted and directed by Bill Condon from Christopher Bram's novel Father of Frankenstein ,the film stars Ian McKellen in a sublime performance as the white-haired Whale, who is portrayed as a dapper gent and amateur artist prompted by failing health into melancholy remembrance of things past. Flashbacks of lost love, World War I battle trauma and glory days in Hollywood combine with Whale's present-day attraction to a newly hired yard worker (Brendan Fraser) whose hunky, Frankenstein-like physique makes him an ideal model for Whale's fixated sketching. The friendship between the handsome gardener and his elderly gay admirer is by turns tenuous, humorous, mutually beneficial and ultimately rather sad--but to Condon's credit Whale is never seen as pathetic, lecherous or senile. Equally rich is the rapport between Whale and his long-time housekeeper (played with wry sarcasm by Lynn Redgrave), who serves as protector, mother and even surrogate spouse while Whale's mental state deteriorates.

Flashbacks to Whale's film-making days are painstakingly authentic (particularly in the casting of look-alike actors playing Boris Karloff and Elsa Lanchester), and all of these ingredients combine to make Gods and Monsters (executive produced by horror novelist-film maker Clive Barker) a touchingly affectionate film that succeeds on many levels. It is at once a keen glimpse of Hollywood's past, a loving tribute to James Whale and a richly moving, delicately balanced drama about loneliness, memory and the passions that keep us alive. --Jeff Shannon Customer Reviews AMC Examines Homosexuality in Hollywood With “AMC’s Outstanding Movies” Festival on Tuesday, February 5 | AMC Networks Inc. AMC, January 31, 2002 AMC Examines Homosexuality in Hollywood With “AMC’s Outstanding Movies” Festival on Tuesday, February 5 JERICHO, N.Y., January 31, 2002 – AMC comes out with a new, original documentary on the life of Hollywood’s first openly gay actor as part of "AMC's OUTstanding Movies" festival on Tuesday, February 5.

The festival showcases the premiere of OUT OF THE CLOSET, OFF THE SCREEN: THE LIFE OF WILLIAM HAINES, as well as the network premiere of the Oscar®-winning film GODS AND MONSTERS, starring Ian McKellan and Lynn Redgrave, and the award-winning documentary THE CELLULOID CLOSET. "AMC's OUTstanding Movies" festival begins at 8:00 PM (ET) with the network premiere of the Academy Award®-winning drama, GODS AND MONSTERS (1998), based on the Christopher Bram novel, Father of Frankenstein. Ian McKellan earned an Oscar® nomination for his portrayal of FRANKENSTEIN director James Whale, a closeted homosexual, who develops an attraction for his straight gardener (Brendan Fraser) in this fictional account of his last days. Despite the tension in their relationship, the two forge a caring bond as the once celebrated director's health and mental state decline. Lynn Redgrave co-stars as Whale's devoted housekeeper. Nominated for a total of three Academy Awards®, including Redgrave for Best Supporting Actress, the film took home the Oscar® for Best Writing.

Next, at 10:00 PM, AMC debuts its original documentary OUT OF THE CLOSET, OFF THE SCREEN: THE LIFE OF WILLIAM HAINES. The one-hour documentary, based on the critically acclaimed biography by William Mann, recounts the rise and fall of Hollywood's first openly gay actor. (Also at 2:00 AM.) A witty, romantic leading man – and a close friend of many on Hollywood's A-list, including Joan Crawford, director George Cukor and William Randolph Hearst and Marion Davies – Haines was the top male box-office draw of the silent era. His film career ended abruptly in the 1930s when he refused to hide his homosexuality. Undaunted, Haines launched a spectacular new career as an interior designer, decorating homes and creating original furniture for Joan Crawford, Jack Warner, Alfred and Betsy Bloomingdale, and Ronald and Nancy Reagan. Nearly 30 years after his death, his pieces are considered highly collectible and grace the homes of such celebrities as Ellen DeGeneres, Courtney Cox-Arquette and Cameron Diaz.

(Also at 1:00 AM.) The festival continues at 11:00 PM (ET) with the award-winning documentary THE CELLULOID CLOSET (1995), based on a 1981 book by Vito Russo. Narrated by Lily Tomlin, the film chronicles how Hollywood's depiction of homosexuality has evolved over 100 years of filmmaking. Film clips are interspersed among interviews with Tom Hanks, Susan Sarandon, Gore Vidal, Barry Sandler, Whoopi Goldberg and others, in this winner of the 1996 Sundance Film Festival's Freedom of Expression Award AMC is the nation's premier movie network, bringing favorite movies to a broad audience by placing them in a fresh and contemporary context. Award-winning original documentaries, series and specials are infused with the energy and excitement of Hollywood past and present. Launched in 1984, AMC is currently available in 81 million homes. AMC is owned and managed by Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc.

A subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE:CVC) and NBC, Rainbow manages American Movie Classics, WE: Women's Entertainment, Bravo, The Independent Film Channel, MuchMusic USA, Rainbow Sports, News 12 Networks and MetroChannels as well as the Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation and Rainbow Network Communications. In addition, Rainbow is a fifty-percent partner in FOX Sports Net. AMC is one of the assets included in a new series of Cablevision common stock — Rainbow Media Group tracking stock (NYSE: RMG) — which began trading on the NYSE on March 30th. MGM (NYSE: MGM) owns a 20 percent stake in four of Rainbow's national networks – AMC, Bravo, IFC and WE: Women's Entertainment. Gods and Monsters - Buy, Rent, and Watch Movies & TV on Flixster More reviews for Gods and Monsters Flixster Audience Score: 83% Flixster User Reviews Reid Volk I think there is an interesting film in here, but it is severely hampered by a poor script and a dreadful performance by Brandon Fraser.

I know what you are… More I think there is an interesting film in here, but it is severely hampered by a poor script and a dreadful performance by Brandon Fraser. I know what you are thinking. How could the "Monkeybone" veteran give a less than stellar performance? Well I don't know how, but he does. While I understand that in many ways Fraser's character is supposed to mirror the Frankenstein monster, donning a flattop and not pausing much for thought, Fraser gives off the impression that he is too dim to actually even pull off acting dim. In fact, he acts a lot like I'm sure most of America believes he does when the cameras aren't rolling. I actually gave in to mild bursts of laughter just watching him "act". While I would have liked to see the story of James Whales, I was too busy trying to make sense of how Fraser got this role. Cassandra Maples A trio of excellent performances adorn "Gods and Monsters", Bill Condon's film about the elderly James Whale, one-time Hollywood director.… More A trio of excellent performances adorn "Gods and Monsters", Bill Condon's film about the elderly James Whale, one-time Hollywood director.

Reclusive, waspish and cantankerous, Whale is looked after by his maid Hanna, a deeply religious lady who despairs of his gay sexuality but dotes on him nevertheless. Into the mix comes a slightly dim-witted young gardener Clayton Boone who catches Whale's eye and agrees to sit for the old director while he sketches him. Boone, initially unaware of Whale's gayness and then repelled by it, eventually comes to respect and love the old man. They are like two lost souls, polar opposites who nevertheless connect and come to depend on each other, much in the manner of Dr. Frankenstein and his monster in the movie that made Whale's name. Ian McKellen must have been the only choice to portray Whale, and he clearly relishes the opportunity. A biting wit masks his inner despair as he looks back on a life of childhood deprivation (much of it emotional), wartime loss, and fleeting happiness found in the gay subculture of Tinseltown. The accumulation of these experiences seems etched on McKellen's face so that there is not one moment when he is not inhabiting the role.

Lynn Redgrave is simply wonderful in support as Hanna; her scenes with McKellen have a real fizz and convey a true sense of fondness between the two characters. Brendan Fraser, meanwhile, is very good as Boone. It may seem that playing nice but dim would come easily to Fraser, but there's a little more to him than that and he adeptly renders the subtle awakening in self-understanding triggered by Boone's contact with Whale. A character-driven chamber piece, "Gods and Monsters" feels more like theatre than cinema, despite its Hollywood theme. Great acting alone can't quite carry it, however, and after a sparklingly witty opening the pacing drags somewhat. On a conveniently dark and stormy night, the film descends into melodrama for its final act. A pity, because there's so much to admire here. Just as in his recent film "Kinsey", Condon shows himself to be a highly literate and sensitive film-maker, and a great director of actors. He's certainly not afraid to tackle subject matter that may not sit too comfortably in the multiplexes of middle-America. Unlike Dr.

Frankenstein, however, I'm not sure he's yet managed to animate one of his creations with the sort of kinetic charge that truly brings a movie to life. Alexander Wilson I can't believe I watched the WHOLE of this film, i feel so molested. If you can avoid it, but its well wrtiten. So if your tempted , then check it out. jay nixon Brilliant Ian McKellan performance ably assisted by Brendan Fraser. Lynn Redgrave is both hysterical and deeply touching. Jennifer D First of all, to the reviewer who said you felt molested watching this movie. You're homophoic and should see someone about that. I thought it was really… More First of all, to the reviewer who said you felt molested watching this movie. You're homophoic and should see someone about that. I thought it was really great. A nice telling of a Hollywood legend (not unlike Hollywoodland - but better!) I love Sir Ian McKellen and was doubtful on Fraser, but he really held his own. He wasn't fantastic, but he wasn't Keanu Reeves. I also really liked the subtle, sparse and dry humor interjected every little while.

Something I wasn't quite expecting but it was nice. Most of it done by Ms. Redgrave. Overall a nice movie, not spectacular but definitely worth watching! Lorenzo von Matterhorn <i>James Whale: "My life is a game of strip poker. Want to play?"</i> The last days of Frankenstein director James Whale are explored.… More <i>James Whale: "My life is a game of strip poker. Want to play?"</i> The last days of Frankenstein director James Whale are explored. <b><u>REVIEW</u></b> Gods & Monsters is a fascinating , sprawl of epic proportions that lurks tantalizingly in the failing mind of its main character. We get the sense that we've walked in on the last act of a great play and wonder what the rest was like. Aging gay Hollywood director seeks engaging relationship with somewhat dense gardener. I will not bore you with the details. Sir Ian's acting is top drawer as is the ever wonderful Redgrave as the doting housekeeper. Frasier is batting a little out of his league but is serviceable as the beefcake "love interest." The writing is excellent and brings to life some wonderful character studies.

It holds up until the next to last scene which I saw as a bit awkward and forced. Such an elegant script could have found a more plausible circumstance to achieve the desired result. So...what is the film about? Well, it's about being gay and not being gay; about being lonely when surrounded by people who supposedly love you; about giving it all up while still trying to hold on. While most epics spend hours trying to resolve these types of issues, Gods & Monsters is content to show us that such issues exist without resolution. It's an epic in a box...and is a better film for it. Cindy I An amazing film about the supposed last days of director James Whale. Ian McKellan is incredible as the depressed, elderly Whale and Brendan Fraser truly holds… More An amazing film about the supposed last days of director James Whale. Ian McKellan is incredible as the depressed, elderly Whale and Brendan Fraser truly holds his own here as Whale's gardener and eventual friend. The film has a lot of gay undertones -- Whale was openly gay after all -- but don't let that get in your way. This is as much about the loneliness of old age as it is about Hollywood.

This movie might be one of my top 20 fave films ever. Michael Gildea A List of Movies Based on Frankenstein, 1910-2005 | Romantic Circles A List of Movies Based on Frankenstein STUDY AIDS : IN POPULAR CULTURE A List of Movies Based on Frankenstein, 1910-2005 Since a complete list of films based directly or indirectly on Frankenstein would run into the thousands, it's convenient to exclude films with only a tangential relationship to the original novel: those, for instance, with only a mad scientist, a raising-from-the-dead theme, or a Creature cameo. This chronological list includes most of the major feature films between 1910 and 2005 based on Shelley's novel. Frankenstein , Edison Film Company, 1910 (USA) Directed by J. Searle Dawley, starring Charles Stanton Ogle, Augustus Phillips, and Mary Fuller.

Der Golem, Deutsche Bioscop, 1914 (Germany) Directed by Henrik Galeen and Paul Wegener, starring Paul Wegener, Lyda Salmonova, Carl Ebert, Jacob Tiedtke, and Rudolf Bluemner. Life Without Soul , Ocean Film Corporation, 1915 (USA) Directed by Joseph W. Smiley, starring Percy Darrell Standing, William A. Cohill, Lucy Cotton, George DeCarlton, Jack Hopkins, and Pauline Curley. The Golem, Pagu/UFA, 1920 (Germany) Directed by Paul Wegener and Carl Boese, starring Paul Wegener, Albert Steinrück, Ernst Deutsch, Lyda Salmonova, Hanns Sturm, and Greta Schröder. Il Mostro di Frankenstein , Albertini Film/UCI, 1920 (Italy) Directed by Eugenio Testa, starring Luciano Albertini and Umberto Guarracino. Frankenstein , Universal, 1931 (USA) Directed by James Whale , starring Colin Clive , Mae Clarke, John Boles, Boris Karloff , Dwight Frye, and Edward Van Sloan.

Directed by James Whale , starring Boris Karloff , Colin Clive , Valerie Hobson, Elsa Lanchester, Una O'Connor, and Ernest Thesiger. El Superloco, PCE, 1936 (Mexico) Directed by Juan José Segura, starring Leopoldo Ortin, Carlos Villarias, Consuelo Frank, Ramón Armengod, Raul Urquijo, and "Indian" Fernandez. Son of Frankenstein , Universal, 1939 (USA) Directed by Rowland V. Lee, starring Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff , Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill, Josephine Hutchinson, and Donnie Dunagan. Man Made Monster, Universal, 1941 (USA) Directed by George Waggner, staring Lionel Atwill, Lon Chaney Jr., Anne Nagel, Frank Albertson, Samuel S. Hinds, and William Davidson. Directed by Roy William Neill, starring Lon Chaney, Ilona Massey, Patric Knowles, Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill, and Maria Ouspenskaya. House of Frankenstein, Universal, 1944 (USA) Directed by Erle C.

Kenton, starring Boris Karloff , Lon Chaney, John Carradine, J. Carrol Naish, Anne Gwynne, and Lionel Atwill. A sequel to Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943). Directed by Charles Barton, starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Lon Chaney, Bela Lugosi, Glenn Strange, and Lenore Aubert. Bride of the Monster, Edward D. Wood Jr. Productions, 1954 (USA) Directed by Edward D. Wood Jr., starring Bela Lugosi, Tor Johnson, Tony McCoy, Loretta King, Harvey Dunn, and William Benedict. Castle of the Monsters (El Castillo de los monstruos), Producciones Stotomayor, 1957 (Mexico) Directed by Julián Soler, starring Antonio Espino, Evangélina Elizondo, Carlos Orellana, Guillermo Orea, and Germán Robles. The Curse of Frankenstein, Hammer Films , 1957 (UK) Directed by Terence Fisher , starring Peter Cushing , Hazel Court, Robert Urquhart, Christopher Lee, Valerie Gaunt, and Noel Hood.

I Was a Teenage Frankenstein, American International Pictures, 1957 (USA) Directed by Herbert L. Strock, starring Whit Bissell, Phyllis Coates, Robert Burton, Gary Conway, George Lynn, and John Cliff. Frankenstein 1970, Allied Artists, 1958 (USA) Directed by Howard W. Koch, starring Boris Karloff , Tom Duggan, Jana Lund, Donald Barry, Charlotte Austin, and Irwin Berke. Frankenstein's Daughter, Astor Pictures/Layton Film Productions, 1958 (USA) Directed by Richard Cunha, starring John Ashley, Sandra Knight, Donald Murphy, Sally Todd, Harold Lloyd Jr., and Felix Locher. The Revenge of Frankenstein, Hammer Films , 1958 (UK) Directed by Terence Fisher , starring Peter Cushing , Eunice Gayson, Francis Matthews, Michael Gwynn, Lionel Jeffries, and John Welsh. A sequel to The Curse of Frankenstein (1958).

Orlak, El infierno de Frankenstein, Filmadora Independiente/Columbia, 1960 (Mexico) Directed by Rafael Baledon, starring Joaquin Cordero, Armando Calvo, Rosa de Castilla, Irma Dorantes, Andres Soler, and Pedro de Aguillon. Frankestein [sic], el Vampio y CIA, Cinematografica Calderon, 1961 (Mexico) Directed by Benito Alazraki, starring Manuel Valdés, José Jasso, Joaquin Garcia Vargas, Martha Elena Cervantes, Nora Veryán, and Roberto G. Rivera. The Evil of Frankenstein, Hammer Films , 1964 (UK) Directed by Freddie Francis, starring Peter Cushing , Peter Woodthorpe, Sandor Eles, Kiwi Kingston, Duncan Lamont, and Katy Wild. Frankenstein Conquers the World (Furankenshutain Tai Baragon), Toho/Henry G.

Saperstein Enterprises/American International Pictures, 1964 (Japan, USA) Directed by Inoshiro Honda, starring Nick Adams, Tadao Takashima, Kumi Mizuno, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Takashi Shimura, and Haruo Nakajima. Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster, Vernon Films/Seneca/Futurama Entertainment, 1965 (USA) Directed by Robert Gaffney, starring Marilyn Hanold, Jim Karen, Lou Cutell, Nancy Marshall, David Kerman, and Robert Reilly. Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter, Embassy Pictures/Circle, 1965 (USA) Directed by William Beaudine, starring Narda Onyx, John Lupton, Cal Bolder, Estelita, Jim Davis, and Nestor Paiva. Frankenstein Created Woman, Hammer Films , 1966 (UK) Directed by Terence Fisher , starring Peter Cushing , Susan Denberg, Thorley Walters, Robert Morris, Duncan Lamont, and Peter Blythe.

Fearless Frank, American International Pictures, 1967 (USA) Directed by Philip Kaufman, starring John Voigt, Monique Van Vooren, Severn, Darden, Joan Darling, Lou Gilbert, and Nelson Algren. Frankenstein's Bloody Terror (La Marca del hombre lobo), Maxper/Independent-International, 1967 (Spain) Directed by Henry Egan, starring Paul Naschy, Diane Konopka, Julián Ugarte, Rossana Yanni, Michael Manz, and Joseph Morton. Killing Frankestayna Karsi, Omur Film, 1967 (Turkey) Directed by Nuri Akinci, starring Otkay Gursel, Oya Peri, Gultekin Ceylan, Ferhan Tanseli, Aynur Aydan, and Yasar Sener. Dracula vs.

Frankenstein (El Hombre que vino del ummo, Dracula jagt Frankenstein, Los Monstruos del terror, Assignment Terror), Jaime Prades/Eichberg Film/International Jaguar, 1969 (Spain, West Germany, Italy) Directed by Tulio Demichelli, Hugo Fregonese, and Peter Riethof, starring Michael Rennie, Karin Dor, Craig Hill, Paul Naschy, Patty Shepard, and Angel del Pozo. Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, Hammer Films , 1969 (UK) Directed by Terence Fisher , starring Peter Cushing , Simon Ward, Veronica Carlson, Thorley Walters, Freddie Jones, and Maxine Audley. Dr. Frankenstein on Campus, Astral Films/Agincourt, 1970 (Canada) Directed by Gil Taylor, starring Robin Ward, Kathleen Sawyer, Austin Willis, Sean Sullivan, Ty Haller, and Tony Moffat-Lynch. Dracula vs. Frankenstein, Independent-International Pictures, 1970 (USA) Directed by Al Adamson, starring J. Carrol Naish, Lon Chaney, Zandor Vorkov, Anthony Eisley, Regina Carrol, and Greydon Clark.

The Horror of Frankenstein, Hammer Films , 1970 (UK) Directed by Jimmy Sangster, starring Ralph Bates, Kate O'Mara, Veronica Carlson, Dennis Price, Graham Jones, and Bernrad Archard. Santo y Blue Demon contra el Dr. Frankenstein, Cinematografica Calderon, 1970 (Mexico) Directed by Miguel M. Delgado, starring Santo, Blue Demon, Sasha Montenegro, Jorge Russek, and Ivonne Govea. Lady Frankenstein (La Figlia di Frankenstein), Condor International/New World Pictures, 1971 (Italy) Directed by Mel Welles, starring Joseph Cotten, Sara Bay, Mickey Hargitay, Paul Müller, Paul Whiteman, and Herbert Fux. Santo contra la hija de Frankenstein (La Hija de Frankenstein), Cinematografica Calderon/Azteca Films, 1971 (Mexico) Directed by Miguel M. Delgado, starring Santo, Gina Romand, Znel, Roberto Canedo, Carlos Agosti, and Sonia Fuentes. Blackenstein, Exclusive International, 1972 (USA) Directed by William A.

Levey, starring John Hart, Ivory Stone, Liz Renay, Roosevelt Jackson, Andrea King, and Nick Bolin. Dracula Prisoner of Frankenstein, Fenix Films et al., 1972 (Spain, France, Lichtenstein, and Portugal) Directed by Jess Franco, starring Denis Price, Howard Vernon, Mary Francis, Albert Dalbes, Genevieve Deloir, and Josiane Gilbet. The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein, Comtoir Français du Film Production/Fenix-Film, 1972 (France, Spain, and Portugal) Directed by Jess Franco, starring Denis Price, Howard Vernon, Anne Libert, Britt Nichols, Albert Dalbes, and Luis Barboo. Frankenstein '80 (Mosaico), MGD Film Productions/MPI, 1972 (Italy and West Germany) Directed by Mario Mancini, starring John Richardson, Gordon Mitchell, Renato Romano, Xiro Pappas, Dalila Parker, and Bob Fiz. Flesh for Frankenstein (Il Mostro e in Tavola . . .

Barone Frankenstein, Carne per Frankenstein, Chair pour Frankenstein), Pagnia Cinematografica Champion/EMI, 1973 (Italy and France) Directed by Paul Morrissey, starring Joe Dallesandro, Monique Van Vooren, Udo Kier, Arno Juerging, Dalila di Lazzaro, and Srdjan Zelenovic. Frankenstein, Dan Curtis Productions, 1973 (USA) Directed by Glenn Jordan, starring Robert Foxworth, Susan Strasberg, Heidi Vaughn, Bo Svenson, John Karlen, and Philip Bourneuf. Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell, Hammer , 1973 (UK) Directed by Terence Fisher , starring Peter Cushing , Shane Briant, Madeline Smith, John Stratton, Bernard Lee, and Clifford Mollison. Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks (Il Castello della paura), Classic Film International/Cinerama, 1973 (Italy) Directed by Robert H. Oliver, starring Rossano Brazzi, Michael Dunn, Edmund Purdom, Christiane Royce, Gordon Mitchell, and Alan Collins.

Frankenstein: The True Story, Universal, 1973 (UK) Directed by Jack Smight, starring James Mason, Leonard Whiting, David McCallum, Jane Seymour, Nicola Pagett, and Michael Sarrazin. Young Frankenstein , Twentieth-Century Fox, 1974 (USA) Directed by Mel Brooks, starring Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Cloris Leachman, Teri Garr, Kenneth Mars, and Gene Hackman. Frankenstein—Italian Style (Frankenstein all' Italiana), Euro International/RPA, 1975 (Italy) Directed by Armando Crispino, starring Aldo Maccione, Jenny Tann, Ninetto Davoli, Ginrico Tedeschi, Anna Mazzemauro, and Lorenzo Guerriero. The Rocky Horror Picture Show , Twentieth-Century Fox, 1975 (UK) Directed by Jim Sharman, starring Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Richard O'Brien, Patricia Quinn, Nell Campbell, Meatloaf, and Charles Gray.

Victor Frankenstein (Terror of Frankenstein), Aspekt Film, 1976 (Sweden and Ireland) Directed by Calvin Floyd, starring Leon Vitali, Per Oscarsson, Nicholas Clay, Stacey Dorning, Jan Ohlsson, and Olof Bergström. Doctor Franken, NBC, 1980 (USA) Directed by Marvin J. Chomsky and Jeff Lieberman, starring Robert Vaughn, Robert Perault, David Selby, Teri Garr, Josef Sommer, and Cynthia Harris. Frankenstein Island, Chriswar, 1981 (USA and Mexico) Directed by Jerry Warren, starring Robert Clarke, Steve Brodie, Cameron Mitchell, Robert Christopher, Tain Bodkin, and Patrick O'Neil. Mystery! Frankenstein—Legend of Terror (Kaiki Furankenshutain), Toei/Terebi (TV) Asahi, 1981 (Japan) Directed by Yugo Serizawa. Animated, with voices by Nahci Nozawa, Mami Koyama, Hosei Komatsu, Kei Tomiyama, Ichiroh Nagai, and Minori Matsushima.

Frankenstein's Great-Aunt Tillie, Tillie Productions, 1983 (Mexico) Directed by Myron J. Gold, starring Donald Pleasence, Yvonne Furneaux, June Wilkinson, Aldo Ray, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Rod Colbin, and Chandler Garrison. Frankenstein, Yorkshire Television, 1984 (UK) Directed by Victor Gialanella, starring Robert Powell, Carrie Fisher, David Warner, John Gielgud, Terence Alexander, and Susan Wooldridge. Frankenstein 90, A.J. Films/TF 1 Films/AMLF, 1984 (France) Directed by Alain Jessua, starring Jean Rochefort, Eddy Mitchel, Fiona Gelin, Herma Vos, Ged Marlon, and Serge Marquand. Frankenweenie, Walt Disney Productions, 1984 (USA) Directed by Tim Burton, starring Shelley Duvall, Daniel Stern, Barret Oliver, Joseph Maher, Roz Braverman, and Paul Bartel.

The Bride, Columbia, 1985 (France and UK) Directed by Franc Roddam, starring Sting, Jennifer Beals, Geraldine Page, Clancy Brown, Anthony Higgins, and David Rappaport. Gothic, Virgin Vision, 1986 (UK) Directed by Ken Russell, starring Gabriel Byrne, Julian Sands, Natasha Richardson, Myriam Cyr, Timothy Spall, and Alec Mango. Dr. Hackenstein, Marketing Media/Vista Street, 1987 (USA) Directed by Richard Clark, starring David Muir, Stacey Travis, Catherine Davis Cox, Dyanne DiRosario, John Alexis, and William Schreiner. Frankenstein General Hospital, New Star Entertainment, 1988 (USA) Directed by Deborah Roberts, starring Mark Blankfield, Leslie Jordan, Jonathan Farwell, Kathy Shower, Hamilton Mitchell, and Irwin Keyes. Frankenhooker, Shapiro Glickenhuas Entertainment, 1990 (USA) Directed by Frank Henenlotter, starring James Lorinz, Patty Mullen, Shirley Stoler, Louisa Lasser, Charlotte Helmkamp, and Lia Chang.

Frankenstein's Baby, BBC-TV, 1990 (UK) Directed by Robert Bierman, starring Nigel Planer, Kate Buffery, Yvonne Bryceland, William Armstrong, Sian Thomas, and Gillian Raine. Frankenstein Unbound, Warner Bros., 1990 (USA and Italy) Directed by Roger Corman, starring John Hurt, Raul Julia, Bridget Fonda, Catherine Rabett, Jason Patric, and Michael Hutchence. Frankenstein: The College Years, FNM Films, 1991 (USA) Directed by Tom Shadyac, starring William Ragsdale, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Larry Miller, Andrea Elson, Voreaux White, and Patrick Richwood. Last Frankenstein, Bandai/BF Film/Rittor Music/Shochhiku, 1991 (Japan) Directed by Takeshi Kawamura, starring Akira Emoto, Yoshio Harada, and Naomasa Musaka. Frankenstein, Turner Pictures, 1992 (UK, USA, and Poland) Directed by David Wickes, starring Patrick Bergin, John Mills, Randy Quaid, Lambert Wilson, Fiona Gilles, and Jacinta Mulcahy.

Frank Enstein, International Family Classics, 1992 (USA) Directed by Douglas Richards. Animated, with voices by Laura Gabriel, David Nettheim, Lee Perry, and Alan Glover. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein , America Zoetrope/TriStar Pictures, 1994 (UK and USA) Directed by Kenneth Branagh, starring Robert De Niro, Kenneth Branagh, Helena Bonham-Carter, Aidan Quinn, Tom Hulce, and John Cleese. Gods and Monsters, BBC/Lionsgate Films, 1998 (USA) A film about James Whale, director of the classic Frankenstein film (1931) and sequels, using many themes from Mary Shelley's novel. Written and directed by Bill Condon, starring Ian McKellan, Brendan Fraser, Lynn Redgrave, Jack Betts, and Rosalind Ayres. Frankenstein, Hallmark Entertainment, 2004 (USA) A film for television directed by Kevin Connor, starring Donald Sutherland, William Hurt, Julie Delpy, Nicole Lewis, Alec Newman, and Luke Goss.

Frankenstein, Flame TV/USA Cable Network, 2004 (USA) A film for television, set in the early 21st century, directed by Marcus Nispel and starring Parker Posey, Adam Goldberg, Vincent Perez, Thomas Kretschmann, Ivana Milicevic, and Michael Madsen. Frankenstein Reborn, The Asylum, 2005 (USA) Another loose updating of the film to the present. Written and directed (and starring) Leigh Scott, co-starring Rhett Giles, Thomas Downey, Jeff Denton, Joel Hebner, and Eliza Swenson. Bill Condon biography, birth date, birth place and pictures Email Print William "Bill" Condon is an American screenwriter and director. Condon is best known for directing and writing the critically acclaimed films Gods and Monsters, Chicago, Kinsey, and Dreamgirls. In 1998, Condon debuted as a screenwriter in Gods and Monsters, which won him his first Academy Award. He was also nominated for Chicago. In 2006, Condon won a Golden Globe for his film Dreamgirls, which he wrote and directed. Condon's films have been both commercial and critical successes.

Born in 1955 in New York, New York, Condon's family was Irish Catholic. His father worked for a brokerage film. The young Condon loved the theater, especially musicals, and was an enthusiastic reader of Plato and Aristotle. He attended Regis, an all-boys school run by Jesuits, then earned a degree in philosophy from Columbia University. Condon moved to Los Angeles in 1976. He worked in the publicity department at Avco Embassy for one year, his first film-related job. When he moved, Condon wanted to attend the University of California at Los Angeles' film school, but instead began his career after a producer read a freelance article he wrote in Millimeter . Condon became a screenwriter, penning Strange Behavior , a mad-doctor flick for which he also served as associate producer, and Strange Invaders , which focused on an alien invasion. In 1987, Condon directed his first film, Sister, Sister . This thriller was set in the South and centered around a crime which occurs in an unusual household headed by two sisters.

Masculine Charlotte, played by Judith Ivey, and catatonic Lucy, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh, live in a plantation house and take in boarders. The home is surrounded by a swamp and they keep local men like the sheriff away with a shotgun. This idyllic domestic situation is affected by the weekend visit of a matron from up north with her daughter and son-in-law as well as a handsome charmer played by Eric Stoltz. Condon's drawing of the sisters was influenced by What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? and Hush Hush, Sweet Charlotte . two films from the 1960s which starred Bette Davis.

Liam Lacey of the Globe and Mail dismissed Sister, Sister as formulaic, writing, "As shamelessly bad as the plot getsat its worst it makes the average TV crime plot seem sophisticatedthe story never obliterates the pleasure of the key performances." Condon later conceded that Sister, Sister was a failure, telling Liese Spencer of the Independent , "The film was not a success, so I went to filmmakers' jail: directing cable movies." While directing films for cableincluding 1991's Murder 101 (which he also wrote) and White Lie Condon continued to write screenplays as well. He composed the script for 1991's F/X2 , the sequel to the popular gadget-oriented action thriller F/X , which was released in 1986. Starring Bryan Brown and Brian Dennehy, who also appeared in the original, Condon's script remained true to the spirit of the first film. After directing another television movie, 1994's The Man Who Wouldn't Die , Condon helmed his second film, Candyman 2: Farewell to the Flesh , in 1995.

The film was a sequel to Candyman , which was based on a story by Clive Barker. Like the first movie, Candyman 2 focuses on the monstrous Daniel Robataille a.k.a The Candyman, who was once a slave killed in inhumane fashion by slave owners after becoming involved with his master's daughter. The Candyman now lives inside the mirror owned by her, coming out only to slash those who speak his name five times. Condon's film explores what drove the Candyman to this existence, touching on related racial and moral issues along the way while he finds victims in New Orleans. Reviewing the film, Ed Masley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette commented, "But if one thing other than a whole lot of bloodshed is relatively certain in this thought-provoking sequel, it's that Condon expects you to at least sympathize with the poor guy." Condon's career rose to a new level in 1998 with Gods and Monsters , a film he both wrote and directed. In fact, the director was even introduced at one film festival screening of his creation as a rookie filmmaker.

Though not a rookie, Condon received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award for best adapted screenplay for the film, an art-house hit in contrast to the action/thriller/horror genres which had earlier dominated his career. Gods and Monsters explores the end of the life of British director James Whale, who directed classic Hollywood horror films like Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein , and The Invisible Man in the 1930s. The mysterious death of the openly gay man in 1957 drives the film as the then 61-year-old director was found floating face down in his swimming pool. It was unclear if he committed suicide or was murdered for one of several reasons: his open homosexuality at a time when such a sexual preference was kept under wraps in Hollywood, his dictatorial directing style, and his talk of killing himself shortly before his death. While the film was based on a novel by Christopher Bram, Father of Frankenstein , and Condon's own research, Gods and Monsters was primarily a speculative take on Whale's life and death.

Still, Condon told Jeff Strickler of the Minneapolis Star Tribune , "I felt obligated to get to the real Whale." The script focuses on the relationship between Whale, played by British iconic actor Ian McKellan, and his gardener/handyman, played by Brendan Fraser. The film also starred Lynn Redgrave as Whale's protective housekeeper. Condon admitted Gods and Monsters was a tough sell to studios, telling the Independent's Spencer that "80 percent of it was two people sitting in a room talking. It's about a man who is losing his powers, not gaining powers. It's about loss, regret, and melancholy. It has a gay man in the lead and it's not a perky, gay-lifestyle movie." Condon's film and his stars were roundly praised for their work on the film, with McKellan taking many awards for his remarkably able depiction of Whale. Condon himself won an Academy Award for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, in 1998. After the success of Gods and Monsters , Condon directed an episode of the television series The Others in 2000 and wrote the script for the hit film Chicago .

Released in 2002, Chicago was based on the long-running Broadway musical which made its debut in the mid-1970s. The stage version was originally based on a 1926 play entitled The Brave Little Women which focused on two women who became best friends in jail while awaiting trial for murdering their lovers. The stage musical version changed the dynamic by making the women enemies who become stars on vaudeville and emphasized the downside of fame. Condon's script retained the essence of the story, but focused more attention on the character of Roxie, who is obsessed with herself. Reviewing the film for the Boston Globe , Wesley Morris wrote of Condon's take on the story, "It's a wiley narrative choice." Condon was nominated for another Academy Award for his script. Condon's next major project as a director and screenwriter was 2004's Kinsey , which had taken three years to get off the ground. Like Gods and Monsters, Kinsey was a biopic about a controversial public figure. Alfred C.

Kinsey (Liam Neeson) and his wife Clara "Mac" McMillen (Laura Linney) studied the sex lives of Americans and published his findings in his well-known, but highly controversial, Kinsey Reports of the late 1940s and early 1950s. Kinsey and his associates used an effective face-to-face interview technique which helped convince interviewees to open up about their deepest sexual secrets. Kinsey had begun his career as an entomologist, but turned to sex research because of his students' problematic ignorance about sex as well as his own youthful experiences with misinformation. He also gave sex instruction lectures. Condon hoped audiences would connect with Kinsey and his revelations. He told Jose Antonio Vargas of the Washington Post , "One of the basic ideas in the movie is that we all have an individual, unique sense of sexuality, but that we all want to feel normal, feel a part of the group, feel that we belong. I hope the people who see the film don't just consider it as an amusing look at a moment in our past.

I hope they connect to it today." One of Kinsey's biographers, Jonathan Gathorne-Hardy, wrote of Condon's Kinsey in the Independent , "It is a moving film and a brave one. Bill Condon doesn't evade any side of Alfred C Kinseynot his bisexuality, for instance, or the way he encouraged very free behavior among his associates. It is certain to arouse fury on the right, just as its subject did." Many critics praised the provocative film, including David Denby of the New Yorker who noted that " Kinsey is playful and happy and even naughty. It's partly a scientific brief, partly a song of sex, and it's enormously enjoyable." Yet as when Kinsey originally published his reports on male and female sexuality, Condon and his film were condemned by some conservatives who regarded him and his work as contributing to the fall of modern society. Two years later after Kinsey hit movie screens, Condon's film Dreamgirls was released. Like Chicago, Dreamgirls was based on a hit Broadway musical. The story in turn was inspired in part by the drama within and around the popular Motown girl group, the Supremes.

With a $70 million budget, the largest of Condon's career to date, the film starred singer Beyonce Knowles, American Idol finalist Jennifer Hudson, and comedian Eddie Murphy. Dreamgirls encompasses the rags to riches story of a Detroit-based girl group through a manager named Curtis (Jamie Foxx), who discovers their talent and takes them to the top of the music charts. Condon also included relevant cultural happenings from the time period, emphasizing the social change that came from the success of Motown music. He told James Ulmer of the New York Times , "I wanted the story of Dreamgirls to mirror its larger historical context of the turbulent '60s and '70sthe peace marches, the riots and the real decimation of the inner cities." The result was a popular film which was a hit with critics and audiences. In addition to making films, Condon also worked to support the film industry in other ways. He served on the board of IFP/Los Angeles, which supports independent filmmakers and film enthusiasts. He also helped create the Writers Guild of America's Independent Writers Steering Committee.

Condon planned on continuing to make unique films in his own right, telling Vargas of the Washington Post , "I don't want to make movies about heroes.

I want to make a movie about fascinating people." Awards: - Edgar Allan Poe Award (with Roy Johansen) for best television feature or miniseries for Murder 101 , 1992; - Academy Award for best writing, screenplay based on material from another medium, Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, for Gods and Monsters , 1998; - Bram Stoker Award for screenplay, for Gods and Monsters , 1998; - Critics Award, Deauville Film Festival, for Gods and Monsters , 1998; - Audience Award, Flanders Film Festival, for Gods and Monsters , 1998; - FIPRESCI Prize, Flanders International Film Festival for Gods and Monsters , 1998; - Silver Seashell for special prize of the jury, San Sebastián International Film Festival, for Gods and Monsters , 1998; - Golden Space Needle Award for best director, Seattle International Film Festival, for Gods and Monsters , 1998; - Golden Satellite Award for best motion picture screenplayadaptation, International Press Academy, for Gods and Monsters , 1999; - Edgar Allan Poe Award for best motion picture,

 for Chicago , 2003; - Directors Guild of Great Britain for outstanding directorial achievement in international film, for Kinsey, 2005; - Stephen F.

Kolzak Award, GLAAD Media Awards, 2005; Golden Satellite Award for best director, International Press Academy, for Dreamgirls , 2006;

Question: Which 1998 film, starring Lynn Redgrave, Ian McKellan and Brendan Fraser centred on the life of film director James Whale?
Answer: Gods and Monsters